Welcome Home
by Karmi Ky
Summary: There was something so peaceful about the way he was looking at her, and for a few moments, she felt like the world stopped. Like nothing else mattered, like nothing could make this moment any better than it already was. Because nothing could take away everything they've shared together. Follow-up to "Tall Grass."
1. Chapter 1

Cloud slowly woke out of his slumber and rubbed his face. Even without opening his eyes, he could tell the room was still dark. He splayed his hand across the sheets and felt they were still warm, but empty.

He sighed and looked at the clock on the nightstand. It was just before six in the morning. He stretched with a yawn.

_Time to get up._

He figured she was already downstairs waiting for him. Even this early, even without an alarm, she always managed to wake up before him.

He craned his neck to both sides and scratched his stomach as he walked over to the dresser. Cloud pulled out a pair of grey sweatpants and donned them before leaving the room.

He quietly made his way down the hall, careful not to wake the kids. If routine served, they wouldn't be up for a couple more hours, and he didn't want to interrupt their peaceful dreams.

He crept down the stairs and made his way to the back door, entering the garage. Tifa was there, practicing her forms, breathing deeply. Her hair was tied up into a high ponytail and she was dressed in a white tank top and black shorts. She was also barefoot, like him. Her hands were wrapped, as well as her ankles.

He enjoyed training with her, grateful for such a strong and competent partner. When they first started doing this, she guided him, teaching him new moves and correcting his form. He learned quickly, so they moved on to sparring against each other. Watching her fight was amazing, no matter how many times he saw her in action. She moved gracefully, like a dancer, but punched with the power of a freight train. How the woman was able to operate such a dichotomy was beyond him.

He leaned in the doorway and began wrapping his hands as he watched her exercises.

* * *

Tifa blew out a long breath as she slowly moved her limbs, her muscles loosening. Her eyes were closed, helping her focus on the forms she had practiced a thousand times.

She went through another, stopping at every position, inhaling and exhaling as she transitioned to the next one.

The door opened. Tifa lifted her head toward the sound, took another deep breath, and ended the final position.

When she opened her eyes, he was standing there in nothing but sweatpants, wrapping his hands and watching her.

_Damn._

She turned around, cursing her wicked mind, as she lifted her hands over her head and intertwined her fingers to lengthen her spine. Cloud finished wrapping his hands and sat down on the mat to wrap his feet. Once done, they both stretched, counting out loud together.

As Tifa shook her hands out, she said, "Don't think I'll go easy on you today."

Cloud huffed, getting into a ready position. "Yeah yeah."

She glanced at the white board on the wall above his head. It had become custom for them to announce the score and the rules before every session, even though they both already knew them. Tifa appreciated the little things about their routines; it added to the sense of normalcy she craved after all the years of tumult and pain.

"The record as of yesterday morning is 30-24, to me. First to twenty points wins. Throws are worth two points." She shifted, lowering her center of balance, her arms raised defensively in front of her. "Time to make it 31."

She kept her hands slightly open, and he did the same. For a moment they just watched each other, eyes flickering to catch any sudden movements.

Tifa's feet shuffled. Her leg came up in a swift kick, arcing toward his head.

Cloud blocked it with his arm before slapping it down.

He threw a punch. Tifa noticed he overreached. She slapped his hand down, took a step toward him, and chopped him in the neck.

"Point!" she cried, a smile on her face. She was bouncing on the balls of her feet now, warmed up.

Cloud rolled his neck and settled back into position.

She remembered the first time they sparred.

_He punched her in the side. _

_"Point!" he said, panting. _

_She doubled over._

_His eyes widened. He rushed over to her and touched her arm._

_"Tifa? Tifa, I'm sor—" _

_Suddenly she grabbed him and spun, throwing him to the mat. He gasped._

_Her grin was wicked. "Two points."_

_"That's dirty," he growled as she helped him up._

Tifa Lockhart was kind and gentle, and often a good sport. But if there was one thing she was highly competitive about, it was this.

She punched. He slapped her hand away, but her other connected with his chest.

"Point!"

Tifa stepped back to reset their positions, but Cloud grabbed her arm. He pivoted behind her, wrapping his own around her neck. She immediately brought her chin down and gripped his arm with both hands. For a moment, they struggled. Cloud's breath was hot on her ear.

Tifa blushed. She bent her knees, getting lower than him, and shifted one foot back. It collided with his, and he lost his balance. She threw him over her and onto the mat.

"Two points!"

She barely had enough time to count. Using his momentum, Cloud pulled her down, rolling so he was straddling her with her stomach against the ground. He pinned her arm to her back.

"Two points."

Tifa threw an elbow backward. He shifted off of her and stood. When he reached down to help her up, she smacked his hand away and hopped up on her own. Her face was red, her eyes narrow.

Cloud smirked. "Maybe I'll make it 25."

She inhaled, held it, exhaled. He couldn't bait her easily, but she knew he liked teasing her.

More than ten minutes later, Cloud had accumulated twelve points.

Tifa was at fifteen.

She threw a low reverse roundhouse kick after he'd kicked high and knocked him down.

"Point."

He quickly got up and pressed her. She deflected several of his attacks before he landed a kick on her shin. She stumbled backward. He grabbed her wrist and pushed her against the wall.

"Point," he panted.

Tifa stared into his cerulean eyes for a moment, breathing heavily, fighting to not lose herself in them. Her eyes started to wander to his chest moving up and down, the muscles of his stomach contracting with every breath. She licked her lips and snapped back up to his gaze, refocusing. Cloud blinked and let her go, stepping back.

Only a few more minutes passed before Cloud had her on the ground again. She tried to knee him, but he shifted down, squeezing her legs together between his. He held one arm above her head. Tifa threw a punch at his face, but he quickly deflected it and grabbed her wrist.

"Two points," he said, chest heaving.

She was getting winded herself. They spent a minute like that, panting, trying to catch their breath. Tifa's eyes closed and she threw her head back against the mat.

_I just need a second…_

Suddenly, his lips were on her neck.

Tifa's eyes snapped open and she gasped. Her breathing quickened.

"Cl-cloud…?!"

He kept kissing her. His grip on her arms did not slacken.

Her mind tried to digest what was happening.

_We're sparring right now!_

But part of her responded,

_You miss him, don't you?_

"Tifa."

His voice was low. If his mouth wasn't right next to her ear, she might not have even heard him.

She gulped. "Yes?"

"Do you want me to stop?"

Her eyes searched the ceiling for an answer. _No!_ was her first reply. She didn't want him to stop but… these past couple of months since he came home, they've been moving slowly. They were sleeping in the same bed, but they had barely touched each other besides cuddling and kissing. Only a couple of weeks had passed since she'd told him she needed time. She thought she did before she could give herself to him again.

_It's been so long…_

"Cloud…"

"If you're not ready, I'll stop."

Tifa swallowed again, closing her eyes. She took a deep breath, then another, trying to calm her erratic heart. They were both still for a while.

Before she could answer, the knob on the garage door began to turn. Cloud lifted his head quickly and they watched as Marlene sleepily opened the door, rubbing her eyes.

"Marlene, what's wrong?" Cloud asked.

She yawned, blinking slowly. "I came to see if you were here. I usually hear you when I get up, but it was so quiet."

_She's always been an early riser_, Tifa mused.

Marlene's brow furrowed as she recognized the position they were in. "What are you doing?"

Tifa blushed. Cloud let her go and rolled off.

"We're just finishing up. Come on, let's get you something to eat." Tifa turned to her side and rose from the mat in a fluid motion, undoing the wraps on her hands and tossing them onto the work bench. She'd worry about her ankles later.

"Who won?"

"Me, of course. I wasn't going to let Cloud win just because it's his birthday," Tifa giggled as she ushered Marlene back into the den. She glanced at Cloud, who only rolled his eyes as he unwrapped his feet.

* * *

_I should've taken today off._

Cloud rode through the wasteland, dust and rocks kicking up around him. The sun shone directly into his face as it set. His goggles didn't seem to be much help, which only fueled his irritation.

Most of the time, he let these things roll off his back. Mishaps happened all the time, people were human. But if there was one thing Cloud hated, it was his time being wasted. More time spent out meant less time at home. And as much as he loved his job and what he did, he cherished every moment he could be with his family even more.

It didn't help that his route today was supposed to be easy, so he expected to be done hours ago. Instead, he'd spent most of his day traversing back and forth between Fort Condor and Junon because of several mistakes made down the line. A customer in Junon asked him to make a stop at the fort on the way back to Edge, and he had no problem obliging. Extra gil never hurt, and it was on the way. Unfortunately, when he got there, part of the package was missing. The mercenaries who have made Fort Condor home since the giant bird left would scare anyone else but were very accommodating for making Cloud take another trip. It helped that they apologized by paying him a hefty sum to make up for the time.

It was still a pain in the ass.

_I should've just taken the day off._

Cloud wasn't one to make a big deal out of things, so he didn't think it was pertinent to cancel deliveries just because it was his birthday. He hadn't really celebrated it since he left Nibelheim all those years ago. While he was with Shinra, the day would pass in training or out on patrol. When Zack found out when his birthday was, he made sure to do something for him.

For his sixteenth, Zack took him to get his ear pierced. He remembered the older boy barreling into Cloud's barrack as he was cleaning his station.

_"Hey man! I got something for you. Let's go!"_

Zack had yanked him out of the building, telling Cloud's superiors he was taking him for "official business," and being a 1st-Class SOLDIER, they weren't going to ask too many questions. It only took a few minutes for them to arrive at the piercing and tattoo parlor in Sector Three. He'd never been to one before. Cloud remembered staring wide-eyed at all the needles and instruments they used to alter people's bodies the way they asked.

Then for five years he… couldn't celebrate his birthday, subject to some modifications he hadn't exactly asked for. And these days he avoided needles the best he could.

He revved the engine, riding faster. That was in the past now. Today, he needed to make it home in time for dinner. He'd promised he would after all.

* * *

About an hour later, he pulled into the garage and shut the engine off. Yanking his gloves from his hands, he threw them down onto the work bench with a sigh. The sun had just set, so he figured he wasn't too late.

The smell of something delicious wafted into the room. He took a deep breath, savoring the familiar smell that reminded him of his childhood. With a smile, he pushed himself away from the bike and through the door into the den.

Marlene was sitting in front of the sofa, drawing in a coloring book on top of the coffee table. Denzel was watching television. Their heads popped up as he came through, and both kids jumped up to greet him.

"Hi Cloud!" they both shouted.

"Happy birthday!" Denzel said, beaming up at his idol.

Cloud ruffled his hair. "Thanks."

"How was your day?" Marlene asked.

"A little rough. But I'm home now."

They hugged him tightly. Cloud started to make his way for the bar, but Marlene grabbed his hand and tugged him toward the couch.

"Come sit with us!" she insisted, plopping down in the middle. "We're watching a funny cartoon!"

He obliged, and Marlene climbed into his lap. Denzel sat next to them and Cloud put his arm around the boy's shoulders. He leaned back with a hearty sigh, watching the television but not focusing on it. Instead, he closed his eyes and felt the warmth of his family around him, a feeling that was still taking some getting used to. He felt the tension melt away, and it was in these moments that he felt like it was real – where he knew it was real. There was just one person missing…

"Where's Tifa?" he asked after a few minutes.

Denzel fidgeted. "Oh, she's… uh…"

The door leading into the bar opened behind them. Cloud twisted slightly to look over the top of the sofa, but Tifa walked around the side of the couch, giving him a better view of her. Cloud's eyes widened just slightly as he took her in.

Her eyes creased at the sides with a kind smile at the sight of her family. Her hair was braided and fell over one shoulder, tied off at the end with a navy ribbon. Her silver drop earring glittered in her ear. She wore a dark blue sundress that flowed to her knees with white sandals. Her face flushed as he stared at her, and she played with the end of the braid. Tifa cleared her throat.

"Go wash up! Dinner is ready."

The kids hopped up. Tifa leaned down and whispered, "Thanks," to them both before they scampered off.

Cloud slowly rose from his seat and approached her. She smiled up at him as he kissed her forehead.

"What was that about?"

"I just needed a few more minutes to get everything ready."

He chuckled against her forehead, then held her out to look at her again.

"You look… amazing."

Her blush deepened as she glanced away, her teeth sinking just a bit into her lower lip. He noticed then that she was wearing a colored lip balm, and it made her lips appear slightly rosier than usual.

"It's nothing fancy, but I'm glad you like it." Tifa found his eyes again. "I know you don't like huge celebrations, but I wanted to do a little something for your birthday."

He caressed her cheek. "Thank you, Teef."

She hugged him around his waist. "Glad you're home." She pulled away and left a soft peck on his cheek. "You go wash up too, okay?"

He nodded and walked to the door, refusing to let go of her hand until she was out of his reach. She trailed the tips of her fingers away from his as he stepped out of the den and up the stairs.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN**: Content warning - this chapter has some uh... lovin'.

* * *

Tifa cut into the roast chicken and laid several pieces onto the plates before her. She spooned some vegetables, careful to keep them separate from the rice on one of the plates, before grabbing two and leaving the kitchen. On the far side of the bar were the kids, sitting at a booth she'd spread a tablecloth over. Denzel slid out of his seat.

"Do you need help?"

She shook her head and set the plates down in front of them. The boy scrunched his face.

"Why do we get so many vegetables?"

"They're good for you," Cloud said behind her.

Tifa turned around, her eyes trailing up and down his body. He was dressed in a white button-down shirt and black pants, a rare contrast to his slightly rougher clothes made to last on the road. He caught her gaze and even though he answered with a smirk, she could see a red tint spread across his cheeks. She responded in kind and waved him over to the table.

"So, what did you two do today?" Cloud asked as he sat down.

"We helped Tifa run errands!" Marlene said as she marked a clearer line of demarcation between her rice and vegetables. "We went to the market today, and then… what store was that?"

"The supply store," Denzel added, mouth full.

"Yeah!"

"What'd you get there?"

Tifa swallowed her food. "Just some things we're running out of in the storeroom." She turned back to the kids. "You all were very helpful!"

They both grinned, then began eating again.

Tifa took a sip of her drink. "What about you, Cloud?"

He sighed, and Tifa could hear a slight irritation in his voice. He finished chewing.

"I would've been home earlier but…"

Tifa tangled her fingers into his, giving him a reassuring squeeze that seemed to say,

_It's alright. You don't have to worry. We always know you're coming home._

"My stop in Junon, they asked me to make a delivery to Condor Tower. I figured it was on my way back, so it wasn't a problem."

"What's a condor?" Marlene asked.

Denzel piped up before Cloud or Tifa could answer. "It's like a giant bird, right?"

"Right," Tifa nodded.

"There's a tower with a giant bird?!"

"Used to be." Cloud finished his drink. "A couple of years ago, there was a group there that wanted to protect the condor and her nest from Shinra."

The kids leaned forward, hoping for a story and forgetting about their dinner. Tifa giggled softly at their wide eyes. Cloud glanced at her, and she nodded for him to keep going.

"In one final attempt, the group at the fort hired some mercenaries to help them fight off Shinra. During that last attack, the nest glowed and—"

Marlene gasped.

"—the egg hatched. A baby condor crawled out and flew away with its mother."

"What happened to them?" the little girl implored.

"No one knows," Tifa answered. "But sometimes you can see two huge, golden birds, one smaller than the other, flying over the mythril mines and out to the sea."

"Wow!"

"Were you the ones who helped the people at the fort?"

Cloud ate another bite of his food and tilted his head toward Tifa.

"We fought for them a few times, yeah. Finish eating, and I'll tell you what we found in the nest."

The kids picked up their forks, their eyes glued on Tifa now. She continued the story, rubbing her thumb across Cloud's calloused knuckles.

She didn't notice how intently he was watching her, focused on the children as they absorbed every word, but she knew he was listening.

* * *

They stayed up late that night, recounting tale after tale for the kids. At several points in the evening, their friends called to wish him a happy birthday. Most of the conversations went well, until right before they were about to put the kids to bed.

"Hey Cloud! You celebratin' big today?"

"Not really. Tifa made a nice dinner."

She smiled down into the sink.

"Thanks for calling Cid."

"Hi Uncle Cid!" Marlene and Denzel shouted into the phone.

"Hey kids! Y'all not givin' blondie any problems are ya?"

"No, we're being good!" the boy answered.

"We're always good!"

"I know I know. Make sure you watch out for Tifa though. She's not as good as you two. She—"

Cloud took the call off of speaker phone and held it to his ear.

"Goodnight Cid," he growled, before hanging up.

Tifa hunched over the basin, washing the dishes even more furiously than usual. The heat rose up and into her cheeks as she scrubbed.

_Cid!_

"Tifa what?" Marlene asked.

She bit down on her lower lip to stifle a whine.

"She… makes me eat my vegetables too," she heard Cloud explain. She could only imagine how red his face probably was.

Denzel yawned. Tifa finished washing and set the dishes aside. She noticed Marlene was rubbing her eyes.

"Alright, time for bed."

Cloud took Marlene's hand and led her up the stairs. Denzel and Tifa followed close behind. They helped them brush their teeth and change into their pajamas. Cloud tucked Marlene under her covers and kissed her on the forehead. Tifa stood next to Denzel as he slept, holding herself as she was watched him. Cloud walked around the bed and put his arm around her shoulders, kissing her temple. She leaned into his hug for a moment with a blissful sigh, before taking his hand and leading him out of the room and down the hall.

In their room, Tifa closed the door quietly behind her. She watched Cloud kick off his shoes before he unbuttoned and removed his shirt, tossing it into a hamper in the corner of the room. Her eyes wandered down his exposed back as his muscles flexed with every movement he made. She bit her lip, this time letting her mind wander as she watched him, a quiet excitement building deep in her core. He noticed she was still standing by the door and turned to her, brow raised.

"Tifa?"

She slid out of her sandals and crossed the room to him. She undid her braid as she went, letting her hair fall freely. Her palms against his chest, she kissed his shoulder softly. He relaxed at her touch, holding her by her arms as she trailed to his collarbone, then his neck. She reached up and found his lips, her hands sliding up and around his neck. He held her a little tighter to him. His tongue probed her mouth cautiously, and she let him, sighing into the embrace. After a few moments, she pulled back and stared up into his eyes.

"Did you enjoy dinner?"

"Yeah," he said with a small smile. "Mom used to make that all the time."

She simpered. "I… actually got the recipe from her."

He raised a brow. "Really?"

"I used to visit her sometimes and… ask about you. She shared some of your favorite recipes with me," Tifa giggled. "I thought I wasn't being obvious but maybe she knew I had a little crush on you."

He hummed, laying a kiss on her forehead. She sighed, slipping her palms down and onto his shoulders.

"You know, I never got to answer your question earlier."

Cloud tilted his head. She pushed him lightly onto the bed and stood between his knees. Tifa planted a kiss amidst blonde spikes, then another on his forehead. He held her around her waist and nuzzled his face into her stomach, breathing her in, as she feathered his hair through her fingers.

"What question?" he mumbled into the fabric.

Tifa reached up and over her shoulder to find her zipper. She pushed it down just enough for her other hand to grab hold and pull it the rest of the way. Cloud let her go and leaned back as the dress slipped down her body and pooled at her feet. His eyes widened just a bit, and for a moment it almost seemed like he didn't know where to look. Tifa felt her face grow hot as he stared at her ample bosom, supported by a black strapless bra, before focusing on her toned stomach and finally settling on her matching black panties. His Adam's apple bobbed as he met her gaze once more.

"Tifa…"

She smiled warmly at him, running her fingers through his hair again as his hands slid up her thighs and around her waist once more. He left a trail of kisses across her stomach, stopping to suck lightly on the mole on her right side. She giggled in response to his touch.

"Cloud?"

He looked up at her. His eyes glowed in the dimly lit room.

"I didn't want you to stop," she whispered.

He blinked, then watched as she lowered herself to her knees and grabbed his belt. Her nimble fingers made short work of the fastenings, and she gripped the sides of his pants. He grabbed one of her hands.

"Tifa, wait."

Her eyes found his again, questioning.

"I… We don't have to do this."

Her mouth opened slightly, like she wanted to say something, but she was momentarily stunned. He gulped again.

"I don't want you… I don't want you to feel like you have to."

Her smile grew wider. "I don't."

"But—"

"Cloud." Tifa leaned forward and kissed his chest, then his lips. He held her face in his hands before she pulled away. "I want to. I don't need any more time."

She tugged at his pants. He leaned back and lifted his hips so she could get them off. At the sight of his growing bulge, he winced, embarrassed. As much as he wanted her, as much as he'd missed her, for some reason, now that it was happening…

"Do you want to?"

He focused on her, her hands on his thighs, her eyes shimmering as she stared up at him. She waited patiently for him to answer, not moving an inch until he told her she could. She wanted them both to be ready.

Cloud gave her a slight nod. She grabbed his underwear and pulled it down.

His erection sprang forward once free. He raised his hand to his mouth and almost forgot to breathe as he watched her observe him. She pressed her lips against his tip in what might be a chaste kiss anywhere else. A strangled groan escaped his throat. She glanced up at him with a look in her wine-colored eyes that he hadn't seen in a long time, one he'd desperately wanted to see again, as she kissed him down his length. She opened her mouth and licked back up to the top, planting another sweet kiss there. Her tongue circled around him, and she slowly lowered her mouth until she'd taken him as deep inside as she could.

Cloud sat back on his arms, squeezing his eyes shut at the warm, wet sensation that enveloped him. He almost couldn't believe they were doing this, until she plunged forward again and took him even deeper, the sweet sounds of her sucking thundering in his ears. He remembered earlier, as he stared at her underneath him – her exposed throat, sweat dripping down her neck. He remembered when he first started sleeping with her again over a month ago, the way her hair had stuck to her face due to her nightmares, holding her, comforting her through the night. He remembered the evening they shared under the stars just a few weeks before now, cuddled together against their chocobo, and how much he cherished those soft, gentle moments with her. There was nothing he wanted more than anything on the Planet than to be with her, by her…

But he'd missed her terribly. He'd missed being _inside_ her, of showing her how he felt like he had their first night together under the _Highwind_. He didn't want to push; he wanted to give her the time she needed to make sure their relationship got back to a healthy place. Emboldened earlier, he kissed her neck and asked permission. She'd been so startled, but now it seemed their roles were reversed…

Now he _was_ inside of her again, and he almost felt like it was too good to be true.

Her fingers wrapped around his shaft, rotating and kneading him the way he liked it. He groaned, looking down as the crown of her head bobbed in his lap. Feeling it was one thing but watching her stirred something almost feral in him. The awkwardness he'd felt before melted away, replaced now with a longing he had tried to keep deep inside.

Cloud leaned forward and ran a hand through her hair. She mewled in response as his fingers ran down her back, grasping her bra with both hands to undo the clips. Her eyes met his for a moment, darkened with lust and yearning. She lifted her head, continuing her ministrations with her hand, and locked her lips with his, her tongue clashing with his hungrily. He finished unhooking her bra and it fell to the ground.

Tifa pulled away, breathless.

"Good?"

He nodded, tugging on her arm. She let him go and he scooted up the bed toward the headboard. She followed, crawling over him once he was settled. His hands smoothed down her sides, grabbing her panties as they skimmed over her hips, pulling them down. She kicked them off and straddled him, his throbbing shaft nestled between her cheeks. He rested his hands on her thighs and she placed her own over them.

"What about you?" he asked gruffly.

She shook her head, her hair swaying gently. "It's okay. It's _your_ birthday, remember?"

He slipped one hand between her legs. She gasped as his fingers stroked her moist slit, separating her lips. She was dripping wet, he realized with a greedy satisfaction.

"I almost forgot how much you liked doing that…"

Her face flushed completely at his accusation. She smacked his chest.

"Cloud!"

He laughed, sitting up to wrap his arms around her, kissing her with all the passion he's felt for her for as long as he could remember. She held him by his shoulders, returning his touch with the same fervor. He rested his forehead against hers after a while.

"I missed you, Tifa," he admitted quietly. "I'm glad I make you feel like you can… trust me again."

She nodded slightly, but kept her eyes lowered. She took several deep breaths before responding.

"I'm so happy we're here," she finally said, smiling up at him. "It took a while but… but I know now you'll always be here." She sighed. "And Cloud I… I want you to know that there's nowhere I want to be but here, with you."

Something about her words, the way she was smiling at him, and the look in her eyes made his throat close up. There wasn't just lust and want there, it was… more. He swallowed thickly, trying to find something to say back. He blurted out the first thing he could without even thinking about it.

"I love you."

There. That's what it was sparkling in her eyes, her eyes that were now crinkling at the sides, brimming with tears at his confession. What's always been there whenever she looked at him.

All this time he realized he'd never said it. Neither one of them had. But there was no doubt in his mind how he felt about her. How he had always felt about her but had been too cowardly to say before. So, as he wiped his thumbs across her cheeks, sweeping the first tears that fell, as he kissed her slowly, deeply, he let himself feel everything all at once. It almost felt like his nerves were on fire, matching his passion, soothing him, encouraging him to keep going. So he did.

Tifa tossed her head back and moaned his name as he slipped inside of her. He kissed her neck, reveling in her warmth as it enshrouded him completely. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders as his mouth found hers again, cradling her face in his hands once more to keep her as close to him as possible.

"I love you," she whispered against his lips. "I love you, I love you, I love you."

She was welcoming him back to her, and there was nowhere else he'd rather be.

He crushed her lips with his again, rocking his hips slowly as one hand tangled in her long tresses and the other wrapped around her waist. His mouth found her cheek, her brow, her forehead before she buried her face into his neck and clung to him, nails digging into his skin. He grunted, bending his knees under him so he could reach deeper inside of her, and she groaned against his skin.

"Cloud… Oh Cloud, please!"

He began to move at a faster pace, and she matched him eagerly. Cloud kissed down her face to her neck, pushing her away by a fraction so he could more easily access her chest. He took one hard nipple into his mouth, licking the tender flesh, and she squealed, scratching his shoulders. He sucked harder in response and her panting became louder in his ears.

He held onto her tightly then, leaning forward so he could lie down with her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, clinging to him as he reentered her, her knees squeezing his sides.

"Tifa…" he moaned, driving to the hilt and hooking one of her legs around him. Sweat began to drip from his brow.

He bent down, laying his body against hers, intertwining the fingers of one hand with one of hers while propping up on the other. He was almost there, so close, and the way she was whining his name let him know she was too.

Cloud kissed her, swallowing her shrill cries. His movements against her became frantic, until suddenly he felt her slick, hot walls contracting around him. She tossed her head back against the mattress, her teeth clenched, a loud sigh whistling through them. She squeezed his hand as he nipped her neck, his tongue sliding across her skin, feeling his own release coming. A moment later he exploded inside of her, pounding into her once, twice, emptying within her depths. She cried out at the sensation, shuddering, kissing his temple and holding onto him like she would never let go.

* * *

She felt the sun's rays on her skin as she stirred, then a warmth that surrounded her more completely. His hand splayed across her stomach and pulled her closer and she molded her body against his, snuggling even more. A faint chuckle in her ear alerted her that he was already awake.

"Good morning," he whispered, bending his head to kiss her shoulder.

The smile on her lips spread. "Good morning."

Tifa turned toward him and opened her eyes. He gazed at her, his own soft and full of –

Love.

It stole her breath away and her heart swelled in her chest. She only stared back, submitting to the depths of his affectionate embrace. It took a while before she finally asked, "How long have you been awake?"

"Not long," he answered, lightly brushing her hair away from her face and down her back. He kissed her shoulder again, then her cheek. "How do you feel?"

It took her a moment to respond as she lost herself in his eyes, in his touch, in his smile. There was something so peaceful about the way he was looking at her, and for a few moments, she felt like the world stopped. Like nothing else mattered, like nothing could make this moment any better than it already was.

Because nothing _could_ take away everything they've shared together. Nothing could change the words they said to one another.

She slowly turned over onto her back, reaching up to touch his cheek. He gently pressed his lips to her palm and her wrist. She swept her thumb under his ear, her fingers tangling with the hairs on the nape of his neck, and brought him down to kiss her.

"Like everything is perfect."

He touched his lips to her forehead before meeting her tranquil gaze again.

"As long as I have you… it is."

She hugged him tightly to her.

"Welcome home, Cloud," she murmured as he rested his face into the crook of her neck and squeezed her back, both of them feeling like they were exactly where they had always belonged.


End file.
